Heating system



Oct. 25, 1949, T. A. HOLMBERG v v 2,486,160

HEATING SSTEM Filed Sept. 20, 1947 Patented Oct. 25, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HEATING SYSTEM Theodore A. Holmberg, Stamford,-Conn.

Application September 20, 1947, Serial No. 775,171

Claims.

This invention relates to heating systems, and more particularly to a system for distributing hot gases through radiators or the like, the gases being the products of combustion of the furnace.

In the usual hot air furnace, for example, air is heated by the firebox, and this air is distributed through the rooms of a building or other space to be heated. As the air is released or circulated in the heating chambers, the combustion chamber is usually tightly sealed from the air-circulating system, so that the products of combustion will not enter the latter.

In the present invention, however, it is proposed to circulate the products of combustion through a circulating system, including radiators or heat-distributing elements, which are positioned in the room or chamber to be heated. Means are provided for positively effecting circulation of the heated gases through the system, and, as additional combustion air must be supplied to the furnace burner when the latter is in operation, exhaust or vent means are provided to allow a portion of the inert or combustion gases to escape.

The device may be used to heat rooms, for example, or may be used industrially to heat any desired space or chamber. It is contemplated that the heater unit will be so constructed that it may be used as a central heating system to supply a plurality of radiators, so that the heat produced by the furnace may be conveyed to a plurality of rooms or other chambers. The device is so arranged that the heat will be evenly distributed to the radiators regardless of the position of the outlet openings of the central furnace with respect to the burner or with respect to the circulating means.

One object of the present invention is to provide a generally improved burner of this class which will be exceedingly simple and efiicient in use.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved central heating unit adapted to circulate the products of combustion to a plurality of radiators which may be located at distant points.

Still another object of the invention is to provide for eflicient and even circulation of the hot gases, including the products of combustion to the various circuits leading to the several radiators supplied from the central heating unit.

Other objects of the invention reside in the improved construction of the central heating unit. so as to improve its efiiciency in recirculating the inert gases through the system, these gases being heated by their passage through the furnace, together with the hot products of combus'tion entrained by the inert gases during the radiators and circulating conduits connected thereto, shown diagrammatically.

As illustrated in the drawings, the invention comprises a furnace designated by the numeral lll, the furnace being divided, generally speaking, into three horizontal compartments or chambers l1, l2 and I3 by generally longitudinal partitions M and I5.

The chamber I2 is the combustion chamber, and a burner l6, shown diagrammatically in Fig. 1, is mounted in a wall of the combustion chamber, so that it discharges combustion air and fuel thereinto to be burned in this chamber in the usual manner. The chamber ll comprises the return chamber for the hot circulated gases, and a plurality of pipes I1 extend from each side of these chambers and each leads to a radiator l 8, shown diagrammatically in Fig. 3, these radiators being disposed in the rooms or chambers to be heated.

The circulated hot gases are delivered to the radiators I 8 through conduits l9 which communicate with the upper portion of the combustion chamber 12 of the furnace, as shown, for example, in Fig. 3. It will be noted at this figure that, adjacent its side edges, the partition M is curved upwardly, as shown at 211, so as to provide for the inlet openings of the conduits l9 to be positioned horizontally opposite the lower portion of the hot air chamber l3.

A circulating pump or fan is shown at 2! in Figs. 1 and 2, the inlet 22 of this fan being connected with the lower chamber l l of the furnace, and the outlet pipe 23 of the circulator being connected with the upper hot air chamber 13 through the nipple '24, this nipple, as shown particularly in Figs. 2 and 3, being positioned at one side of the central vertical plane of the chamber l3.

Mounted in the chamber I3 is a central vertical partition member 25 which divides the chamber l3 into two parts, except at the end portions of the chamber, the partition member being of less length than the chamber, and at its ends being spaced from the rounded end walls 26 and 21 of the chamber I3. It will be noted, from Fig. 2 of the :drawings, that with this construction the gases delivered to the chamber I3 by the fan through the nipple 24 will pass down upon one side of the partition 25, as indicated by the arrows, and then pass along the rounded end 2'! of the chamber and back toward the nipple 24 at the other side of the partition 25.

A plurality of injector or discharge openings 29 are provided in the upwardly curved portions 20 of the partition I4, one of these openings lying opposite the mouth of each of the pipes I9, so that the gases driven through the discharge openings 29 by the fan 2I will pass directly into the conduits I9 to be carried to the radiator. It will also be apparent from Fig. 3 of thedrawings that, in the passage of this gas from the openings 29 to the conduits I9, it will pass through the upper portion of the combustion chamber I2 and entrain hot combustion gases from the chamber I2, carrying these gases to the radiators to heat the latter.

As shown more particularly in Fig. 2 of the drawing, baflles 3| are provided within the chamber I3 adjacent each of the discharge openings 29, so that a part of the gases will be directed through each of the openings 29, these baflies insuring an even delivery of the hot gases to the various discharge openings. This result is, of course, aided by the partition 25 which provides for circulation of the gases from the fan 29 down one side of the partition 25 and back along the other side. Thus, all of the radiators connected to the central outlet will be evenly and positively supplied with hot gases.

Due to the fact that additional air and fuel is continuously introduced into the combustion chamber when the furnace is in operation, provision must be made for the escape or venting of an equal amount of gas from the system to prevent building up excessive pressures. A vent opening may be arranged for this purpose in any suitable place, the opening being shown at 32 at one end or" the combustion chamber.

It will also be noted that the partition I4, being above the flame of the burner I6 and the hot gases resulting from the combustion of the fuel, will be maintained at a high temperature. This will preheat the gas delivered into the chamber I3 by the fan 2I, which will have been cooled to some extent by its passage through'the radiators. by the combustion of the fuel and the gases resulting therefrom, and will serve to preheat to some extent the gases returned to the chamber II by the return pipes I'I leading from the radiators. Thus, the recirculated air will be heated by its passage through the chambers II and I3 in addition to the heat which will be gained by the entraining of the products of combustion as the recirculated gases pass through the discharge openings 29 into the pipes I 9.

With the burner I6 and impeller 2I in operation, it will be apparent that hot gases will be circulated through the radiators I 8, returning to the return chamber II through the conduits I1, and then after being preheated in this return chamber carried to the supply chamber I3 by the impeller 2|. These gases will be directed along one side of the partition 25 and return in the opposite direction along the other side thereof, a portion of the gases being directed by the Likewise, the partition I will be heated curved bafllles 3| through each of the discharge or injector openings 29. In the circulation of the gases through the chamber I3, they will again become preheated by the heat from the combustion chamber I2.

In the passage of the gases through the openings 29 to the conduits I9, hot combustion gases existing in the chamber I2 will be entrained in the flow of gases through the upper part of the combustion chamber I2 and be carried to the radiators along with the preheated gases in the supply chamber I3. At the same time, the combustion chamber will be vented by the vent 32, so that an excessive pressure will not build up in the system.

While I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that it is not to be limited to all of the details shown, but is capable of modification and variation within the spirit of the invention and within the scope of the claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a heating system, a furnace having a combustion chamber, a supply chamber thereabove to be heated thereby, a plurality of radiators, supply and return conduits connecting said radiators and supply chamber, means to efiect a circulation of gases through said conduits, means to entrain gases from the combustion chamber into the circulated gases between the supply chamber and the supply conduits, said means comprising discharge openings in the supply chamber, each of said openings leading into the combustion chamber and being directed toward the inlet of one of said supply conduits, said discharge openings being arranged at each side of the supply chamber, a partition in the supply chamber spaced at its ends from the ends of the chamber, and said return conduits communicating with said supply chamber at one side of said partition.

2. In a heating system, a furnace having a combustion chamber, a supply chamber thereabove to be heated thereby, a plurality of radiators, supply and return conduits connecting said radiators and supply chamber, means to effect a circulation of gases through said conduits, means to entrain gases from the combustion chamber into the circulated gases between the supply chamber and the supply conduits, said means comprising discharge openings in the supply chamber, each of said openings leading into the combustion chamber and being directed toward the inlet of one of said supply conduits, said discharge openings being arranged at each side of the supply chamber, a partition in the supply chamber spaced at its ends from the ends of the chamber, said return conduits communieating with said supply chamber at one side of said partition, and baffles in said supply chamber adjacent said discharge opening to direct the gases therein.

3. In a heating system, a furnace having a combustion chamber, a supply chamber thereabove, a return chamber below the combustion chamber, a plurality of radiators, a supply conduit leading from the furnace to each of said radiators, a return conduit leading from each of said radiators to the return chamber, an impeller having its intake connected to said return chamber and its outlet connected to said supply chamber, said supply conduits leading from a part of the combustion chamber, and said supply chamber being provided with discharge openings directed through a part of the combustion cham- 5 her toward the inlet of said supply conduits but spaced therefrom so as to entrain combustion gases in the combustion chamber.

4. In a heating system, a furnace having a combustion chamber, a supply chamber thereabove, a return chamber below the combustion chamber, a plurality of radiators, a supply con-- duit leading from the furnace to each of said radiators, a return conduit leading from each of said radiators to the return chamber, an impeller having its intake connected to said return chamber and its outlet connected to said supply chamber, said supply conduits leading from a part of the combustion chamber, said supply chamber being provided with discharge openings directed through a part of the combustion chamber toward the inlet of said supply conduits but spaced therefrom so as to entrain combustion gases in the combustion chamber, and a baiiie in said supply chamber adjacent each of said discharge openings to direct the gases thereinto.

5. In a heating system, a furnace having a combustion chamber, a supply chamber thereabove, a return chamber below the combustion chamber, a plurality of radiators, a supply conduit leading from the furnace to each of said radiators, a return conduit leading from each of said radiators to the return chamber, an impeller having its intake connected to said return chamber and its outlet connected to said supply chamber, said supply conduits leading from part of the combustion chamber, said supply chamber being provided with discharge openings directed through a part of the combustion chamber toward the inlet of said supply conduits but spaced therefrom so as to entrain combustion gases in the combustion chamber, the outlet of said impeller leading into the supply chamber at one side thereof, and a partition in said chamber spaced at its ends from the ends of the chamber whereby the gases delivered to the supply chamber by the impeller will pass down one side of the chamber and in a reverse direction along the other side of the chamber.

THEODORE A. HOLMBERG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 810,974 Perkins Jan. 30, 1906 1,711,273 Manker Apr. 30, 1929 2,110,209 Engels Mar. 8, 1938 

